The European Commission (EC), which has in the past consistently avoided mentioning Turkey's headscarf controversy in its progress reports, has announced that it welcomes "growing consensus" on an issue that has polarized the country since the 1990s Today`s Zaman reported.

Responding to a question, the spokesman for Stefan Fule, the commissioner for enlargement and European neighborhood policy, said it was up to Turkey to find its own compromise on the subject.

Iran and Iraq have signed an agreement for the construction of a pipeline that will carry natural gas from Iran to feed power plants in the southern Iraqi province of Basra, PressTV reported.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday morning, Basra Governor Majeed al-Nasrawi stated that the pipeline project, which is expected to come on-stream by next summer, has been awarded to an Iranian company.

He further noted that the local government in Basra has even sought cooperation from Iranian companies to develop subway network in Basra, and construct railroad connecting Iran and Iraq.

In a meeting with Chairman of the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq Ammar Hakim in Tehran on Tuesday, Zarif underscored the high potential of the Iraqi government in playing a constructive role in major regional and international issues.

The Turkish government has revised down its growth expectations for this year to 3.6 percent, a significant acceleration from last year's 2.2 percent gain but well below the 8.8 percent expansion of 2011, which was Europe's best Today`s Zaman reported.

The government earlier targeted growth of 4 percent this year.

Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan told reporters on Tuesday that the government is targeting 3.6 percent of growth while the growth will rise to 4 percent next year and 5 percent growth in both 2015 and 2016.

A survey being conducted by British daily The Guardian shows respondents believe that Iranian President Hassan Rouhani is the most deserving candidate to receive this year's Nobel Peace Prize, Press TV reported.

The opinion poll officially closes on Wednesday. Over 70 percent of the online voters have picked Rouhani from the Guardian journalist nominees, more than four times the number of votes received by the Pakistani teenage social activist, Malala Yousafzai, who is in second place.

In a rare move, the top Marine on Monday forced two generals into retirement after concluding they should be held to account for failing to secure a base in Afghanistan against a Taliban attack that killed two Marines, the Associated Press reported.

Gen. James Amos, the commandant of the Marine Corps, said in announcing his decision that Maj. Gen. Charles M. Gurganus and Maj. Gen. Gregg A. Sturdevant "did not take adequate force protection measures" at Camp Bastion, a sprawling British-run airfield in southwestern Afghanistan that was the Taliban target.

At present, Afghanistan is a springboard for drug producers and terrorist groups in the eyes of the world community. However, historically, the role of this state in the world production of opiates was insignificant. The situation changed in the 1970s, when bans on cultivation of opium poppy were imposed in Turkey, Iran and Pakistan. Thus, the producers began to develop the territory of Afghanistan, where the ongoing socio-political crisis had created the necessary conditions for this type of illegal economic activity.

In late 2016, the media reported that Moscow had contacts with the Taliban. Special Representative of the President of Russia on Afghanistan Z. Kabulov confirmed that the Russian side had contacts with the Taliban. As the main arguments in favor of such a position of Moscow, Z. Kabulov named the fact that the Taliban is fighting against the same insurgents in Afghanistan whom Russian is bombing in Syria. Secondly, the Taliban has rejected the idea of ​​global jihad. Thirdly, their primary goal is to save the country from the occupation and establish an independent government.

The Turkic factor becomes crucial in the involvement of Turkey in the integration processes taking place in Greater Asia and its rapprochement with Russia as a state that is actively promoting these integration projects in the international relations. The fact is, in the prevailing geopolitical situation in the world, Turkey's rapprochement with Russia meets the long-term interests of not only Turkey itself, but also the interests of the Turkic peoples of the Caucasus, Central Asia and Eastern Turkestan.

One of the main purposes of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) – to fight against international terrorism and to prevent it from penetrating the territory of the CSTO member countries – can only be achieved in close cooperation with Iran. This is due primarily to the fact that Iran has accumulated vast experience in countering international terrorism and extremism, as well as the aggressive policy of their sponsors, such as the United States and Saudi Arabia.

In Turkey, after the failed coup attempt on July 16, 2016, there goes on the sweeping of public ranks supported by the accumulated anti-American sentiment. The latter get amplified every day. Washington becomes a real demon for both the current Turkish leadership and the people of the country.

They're not on speaking terms over art. From now on, the relationship between German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will be described with these words. The thing to blame is the hardly talented and barely funny satire on the head of Turkey, which German comedian Ian Bemermann took the liberty of doing while on the air of the “ZDF” TV company.

At present, Afghanistan is a springboard for drug producers and terrorist groups in the eyes of the world community. However, historically, the role of this state in the world production of opiates was insignificant. The situation changed in the 1970s, when bans on cultivation of opium poppy were imposed in Turkey, Iran and Pakistan. Thus, the producers began to develop the territory of Afghanistan, where the ongoing socio-political crisis had created the necessary conditions for this type of illegal economic activity.

In late 2016, the media reported that Moscow had contacts with the Taliban. Special Representative of the President of Russia on Afghanistan Z. Kabulov confirmed that the Russian side had contacts with the Taliban. As the main arguments in favor of such a position of Moscow, Z. Kabulov named the fact that the Taliban is fighting against the same insurgents in Afghanistan whom Russian is bombing in Syria. Secondly, the Taliban has rejected the idea of ​​global jihad. Thirdly, their primary goal is to save the country from the occupation and establish an independent government.